About the event

The Mayor of the City of Warsaw invites to the International Conference #WarsawForTheYoungest – Supporting the development of children under the age of three in nurseries. Best practices and new challenges. On 2 – 3 December 2020, Warsaw will host the International Conference addressed to professionals in the sector of care and education of children under the age of 3, including directors and managers of public and non-public nurseries, children’s clubs, day care providers and representatives of local government units.

The conference is organised by the City of Warsaw, Municipal Nurseries Complex of the City of Warsaw and Ta Szansa Association. We will host, among others, the below listed experts:

  • prof. Edward Melhuish (Professor in Human Development at the Faculty of Education, University of Oxford),
  • prof. Paul Leseman (Specialist in psychology and linguistics, Utrecht University), · Jane Nelsen (Author of Positive Discipline)
  • Magdalena Śniegulska, PhD (Assistant Professor at the Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, SWPS University of Humanities and Social Sciences),
  • Aleksandra Gajewska, Member of Parliament (Sejm) of the 9th term

The aim of the conference is an interdisciplinary exchange of international experiences on the quality of early care and education of the youngest children, its significance for later child development and the validity of investing in the childhood education and care sector. The conference will also present the theme of emotional intelligence, including building adult-child relationships based on Positive Discipline. The conference is also expected to benefit participants in understanding what new challenges need to be faced in improving the quality of early childhood education and care.

The conference programme consists of lectures and panel discussions. The lectures by prof. Edward Melhuish and prof. Paul Leseman, the panel discussion on the first day of the conference as well as the interview with Jane Nelsen will be conducted in English with Polish subtitles. The chat on the first day of the conference will be conducted in English without translation into Polish. Questions to the speakers may be addressed in Polish.

Agenda

Day 1
Supporting the development of children under the age of three in nurseries. Best practices and new challenges

10:00 – 10:15 – Opening

10:15 – 11:15 – prof. Edward Melhuish, Professor of Human Development at the Department of Education, University of Oxford “The quality of early childhood care and education and its importance for children’s development” Why is the quality of early care and education for young children important?


Prof. Edward Melhuish from the University of Oxford will present the research evidence of the importance of the quality of young children’s experiences in ECEC for their later development and the validity for investment in the early childhood care and education sector.

11:15 – 11:30 – discussion with the speaker

11:30 – 12:25 – prof. Paul Leseman, specialist in psychology and linguistics, full professor in education How are nurseries organised in the Netherlands?


Prof. Paul Leseman will talk about the organisation of the system of care and education of the youngest children in the Netherlands and research on the quality of children’s experiences in institutions in the Netherlands.

12:25 – 12:40 – discussion with the speaker

12:40 – 13:25 – Expert Discussion Panel with speakers: prof. Edward Melhuish, prof. Paul Leseman and PhD Olga Wysłowska.
During the panel, Tomasz Pactwa, Director of Welfare & Social Projects Department, will present the current activities in the field of child care for children under the age of 3

13:35 – 13:35 – Aleksandra Gajewska, Member of Parliament of the 9th term
Aleksandra Gajewska will present systemic solutions in the area of child care for children under 3.

13:35 – 14:00 – questions to guests: Aleksandra Gajewska, PhD Olga Wysłowska and Tomasz Pactwa

Day 2
Positive Discipline – #TaSzansaForChildren

10:00 – 10:10 – Magdalena Skorupka, President of the Association Ta Szansa (O.T.TRAD Szansa Warszawa Targówek)

10:10 – 11:00 – Jane Nelsen – interview conducted by Anna Czechowska Positive Discipline in a nursery – how to build social-emotional competence in young children and why is it so important?
Presentation of the interview conducted by Anna Czechowska (Positive Discipline Educator, book translator) with Jane Nelsen (author of Positive Discipline).

During a video especially recorded for the participants of the conference “Positive Discipline – An Opportunity for nurseries” Jane Nelsen, the creator of Positive Discipline, will tell us about this concept.

During the interview the following questions will be discussed:

  • What is Positive Discipline?
  • What it is based on?
  • How are children’s beliefs about the world, people and themselves formed?
  • What is behind children’s behaviour?
  • How to build emotional and social competence in young children?

11:00 – 11:40 – PhD Magdalena Śniegulska, Warsaw University, SWPS University, “The zone of positive relationships – how to support children and adults”.

The lecture will address the following issues:

  • Emotional brain – neurobiological basis of functioning
  • Why do children behave badly? Emotional safety. How to react to children’s difficult behaviour?
  • Self-control and self-regulation – what adults should remember to support children in this process
  • How to teach young children attentiveness and expression of emotions (especially difficult ones) – practical aspects

11:40 – 11:50 – Film presentation The benefits of participating in the training The benefits of participating in trainings on developing emotional intelligence conducted by TASzansa

11:50 – 12:30 – Expert Panel Discussion with experts, nursery representatives and parents How to take care of the quality of care for children in nurseries, mainly in the emotional and social sphere?

12:30 – 12:35: Closing, Magdalena Skorupka

Speakers

Edward-Melhuish
Edward Melhuish

University of Oxford

Professor of Human Development at the Department of Education, University of Oxford.

Olga-Wyslowska
Olga Wysłowska

PhD, University of Warsaw

J.A. Komeński Foundation for Child Development Foundation

Jane-Nelsen
Jane Nelsen

The author of Positive Discipline

California licensed marriage and family therapist

Magdalena-Sniegulska
Magdalena Śniegulska

PhD, University of Warsaw, SWPS University

Graduate of the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Warsaw. PhD in Humanities, psychology.

Paul-Leseman
Paul Leseman

Psychology, linguistics

His research interests concern typical and atypical development of executive functions.

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